Apparatus for and method of dispensing liquid



H. S. HILL Aug. 6, 1957 APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF DISPENSING LIQUID Filed Jan.. 13, 1955 INVEN TOR. A /$223215 Patented Aug. 6, 1957 APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF DISPENSING LIQUID Herbert S. Hill, Springfield, Mass., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Cheney Bigelow Wire Works, Spring- This invention relates to improvements in dispensing liquids and is directed more particularly to improvements in apparatus for dispensing successive predetermined and measured quantities of carbonated beverage and the like.

The principal objects of the invention are directed to the provision of apparatus which is constructed and arranged to vend successive predetermined measured quantities of carbonated beverage. While the features of the invention are adapted for various uses, they are particularly adapted for use in connection with beverage vending machines such as are to be found in all sorts of public places.

Prior art beverage vending machines have disadvantages and objections in that the beverage being dispensed tends to foam as the beverage is discharged into the cup or other receptacle. Foaming causes overrunning of the cup so as to result in unsanitary conditions and the purchaser receives less than the predetermined quantity of beverage.

According to this invention, the apparatus is constructed and arranged for operation in such a manner that suc cessive quantities of beverages may be dispensed without objectionable foaming .and the successive quantities of liquid dispensed are uniform.

In a general way, according to the invention, carbonated beverage under a certain pressure is supplied to a measuring device and against a relatively less resisting pressure and the measured quantity of beverage at the certain pressure is locked in the measuring device against the resisting pressure. When the measured beverage is to be discharged, the resisting pressure is released to atmosphere so that the beverage expands to reduce pressure to an extent so as to overcome an objectionable foaming tendency in discharge thereof.

As the measured beverage is discharged, a resisting pressure less than that when the measuring device is being filled acts on the beverage to facilitate discharge of the liquid without causing foaming thereof.

To the above cited and other ends and with the foregoing and various other novel features and advantages and other objects of my invention as will become more readily apparent as the description proceeds, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claim hereunto annexed and more fully described and referred to in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view embodying the apparatus of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the measuring device of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic sectional elevational view of the measuring device and valve therefor;

Figs. 4 and 5 are views similar to that of Fig. 3 showing other positions of the valve of Fig. 3, and;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic sectional elevational view of the shifter valve of the apparatus shown in Fig. l.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail the novel features of the invention will be described.

The invention will be described in connection with certain components but it will be understood that various other components may be used. For dispensing beverages, the apparatus will be associated with a vending machine of well known form.

A tank is represented by 2 which contains gas such as CO2 and it is connected by a pipe 4 to a beverage tank 6. For descriptive purposes the gas will be under pressure of about 65 lbs. per square inch. A pipe 8 extends to a well known pressure reducing valve 10 which in turn is connected by a pipe 12 to an accumulator 14 of well known form. The accumulator 14 is connected by pipe 16 to a solenoid operated valve 18.

Said valve 18 is normally closed and is opened as the solenoid is energized. A pipe 20 extends from valve 18 to a snifter valve 22 and a pipe 24 extends from said valve 22 to a measuring device indicated by 25 and which is in the form of a closed cylinder.

A valve in the form of a plug 26 is rotatable in the lower side of the cylinder 25. Said plug 26 has a through passageway 28 and a branch 30 leading therefrom. A casing for the plug has a discharge or dispensing outlet 32 and an inlet connected by a pipe 34 to the beverage tank 6.

The plug 26 in Fig. 3 is in position for admitting beverage under pressure from the tank 6 into the measuring device 25. In Fig. 4, the plug 26 is in position for locking a measured quantity of beverage under pressure in the cylinder 25. The plug in Fig. 5 is in position for the discharge of liquid from the cylinder 25. The plug 26 is rotated between the positions described by a lever 36 fixed to a shaft 37 thereof in the usual manner.

A shaft 38 is journalled in the cylinder 25 and has a stop 40 on the inner end thereof within the cylinder. A piston 42 is reciprocable in the cylinder and its upper position in filling the cylinder is controlled by the stop 40. Pressure from the accumulator 14 will be about 50 lbs. per square inch and as beverage is supplied the cylinder 25 through the plug 26 in the position of Fig. 3 said pressure on top of the piston resists that of the incoming beverage which raises the piston to the stop 40, at which time the cylinder contains a predetermined measured quantity of beverage.

The lever 36 has three positions represented by the lines A, B, and C, in Fig. 2. Position A corresponds to loading position of the plug 26 as in Fig. 3. Position B corresponds to rest or locking position of the plug as in Fig. 4 and position C corresponds to the discharging position of the plug as in Fig. 5. The plug lever 36 is actuated by a connecting rod 46 having a lower post part 48 connected to and extending outwardly of said lever 36.

A latch 50 is fixed to shaft 38 and has lower lugs 52 and 54 engageable with opposite sides of shaft 37 of the plug 36 to limit swinging movements thereof. An upper.

ledge 56 of the latch 50 is adapted to underlie the post 48 or rod 46 in its latching position. A spring 58 fixed at its one end to the cylinder 25 urges the latch to its latching position. i

As the lever 36 is swung to filling position, a, and filling position of the plug the latch 50 swings to the left to latching position so that the ledge 56 underlies post 48, to hold the lever 36 against downward swinging. As the cylinder 25 is filled so that the piston 42 is elevated against the resisting pressure the said piston engages stop 40 so as to swing shaft 38 and latch 50 counterclockwise whereby post 48 is released by the latch. The lug 54 of the latch abuts shaft 37 and lever 36 swings downwardly to position B, the so-called locked position of the plug wherein a measured quantity of beverage is locked in the cylinder for dispensing by downward movement of lever 36 to its position C and the position of plug 26 in Fig. 5. The parts are so arranged that in position of lever 36 wherein plug 26 is in the position of Fig. 4, the piston is free to elevate except as it is resisted by the pressure delivered by pipe 24. The piston holdsthe latch in unlatched position.

A lever pivoted at 62 to a support 64 has one end 66 pivotally connected to the rod 46. A roll 68 is carried by the opposite end of said lever 60 for engaging the edge ofa cam 70. Said cam 70 is fixed to a shaft 72 of an electric motor 74 shown by dotted lines and carried by support 64. A spring 78 having an intermediate portion around a post 80 of the support has opposite ends engaging lever 60 and an anchor 82 so as to bias the end of the lever carrying roll 68 to the cam edge. The cam edge has portions b c a corresponding to positions 12, c, and a of lever 36.

The snifter valve 22 has a plug slidable therein provided with a stem 91 engageable with the edge of the cam 70. A spring 92 urges the plug to a position, as shown in Fig. 6 wherein gas is conducted from pipe 20 to pipe 24. As stem 91 is moved inwardly by the cam edge the pipe 24 is in communication with an outlet 94. In this way the upper side ofcylinder is open to atmosphere. A by-pass pipe 96 connects pipes 16 and 20 around solenoid valve 18 and has a manually operated needle valve 98 therein.

A power line is shown at 100 and one side thereof is connected by 102 to the solenoid valve 18, and by 104 to motor 74. Said solenoid valve is connected by 106 to contact 108 of a switch 110. The switch is connected by 112 to a line 114 extending from the power line 100 to the motor 74. A switch 116 in line 114 represents that of a coin operated device. Theswitch is of the normally open type and may be operated by lever 60 or by the coin if desired.

The operation of the apparatus will now be described.

It will be assumed that the measured quantity of beverage is locked in the cylinder 25 at about 65 lbs. pressure per square inch. Switch 116 representing a coin controlled switch is closed so that the motor is energized and cam 70 is rotated to instantaneously open the snifter valve 22 to atmosphere. The measured quantity of beverage thereby expands to some extent to elevate piston 42, the stop 40 being free to swing to allow the piston to move upwardly. As roll 68 of lever 60 follows off of cam edge portion B to portion C the lever 36 is swung to discharge position of plug 26, as in Fig. 5. Snifter has assumed the position of Fig. 6 so that a small amount of gas flows through by-pass 96 and needle valve 98 and acts on piston 42 to facilitate discharge of the measured quantity of beverage.

The beverage on expansion in the cylinder is greatly reduced in pressure to overcome foaming when discharged and the small amount of gas pressure through the needle valve and against the piston is not sufficient to cause foaming.

Subsequent to discharge of the beverage the lever 60 is swung downward by the rise to portion A of the cam and switch 110 is closed. The movement of lever 60 swings lever 36 to its A position. Thereby the plug is 4 positioned as in Fig. 3 for filling the cylinder, valve 18 is opened for application of pressure to the upper side of the piston and spring 58 swings latch 50 clockwise so that ledge 56 underlies part 48 of lever to hold lever 36 in position A for filling the cylinder against the resisting pressure. As the cylinder is filled piston 42 strikes stop 40 to swing latch to its unlatching position of Fig. 2 and the solenoid valve is closed. As the latch swings tothe position of Fig. 2 lever 36 swings downwardly to position B, the locking position of the plug as in Fig. 4.

The apparatus is such that the motor shaft is rotated one revolution as a cycle. A coin controlled switch will close and open the motor circuit for each successive cycle. A cycle of operations, that is the filling of the measuring device, is quick for rapid dispensing of successive measured quantities of beverages.

The apparatus may be embodied in a dispensing machine wherein the beverage'is properly cooled and other components than shown may be employed if desired. The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects merely as being illustrative and not as being restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claim rather than by the foregoing description and all modifications and variations as fall within the meaning and purview and range of equivalency of the appended [claim are therefore intended to be embraced therein. v

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

Apparatus for dispensing successive predetermined quantities of pressurized liquid comprising, a cylinder having a valve in the lower end thereof provided with an inlet and a passageway to said cylinder and a discharge outlet, a three-position plug in said valve rotatable to admit liquid into said cylinder and to lock the same therein or to discharge liquid from said cylinder through said outlet, a piston in said cylinder reciprocable upwardly to an upper position for filling the cylinder with liquid and therebeyond to an uppermost position and downwardly to discharge position, means to supply pressurized liquid to said valve inlet, means to supply pressure to said cylinder above said piston in the upper cylinder filled position of said piston including a normally closed control valve, operating means for rotating said plug, releasable locking means acting on said operating means for locking said plug in liquid filling position, means to open said control valve to relieve pressure in the upper end of the cylinder, and actuating means operable by the piston in uppermost position thereof to release said locking means whereby said valve plug may be moved by said op-' erating means to liquid discharge position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Mar. 15, 1934" 

